The National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) has introduced the Pre-Ayurveda Programme (PAP) as a pathway for students aspiring to pursue a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS). This recent regulation was officially published on October 25, 2024. The program, intended to engage students early on, will extend the total duration of the BAMS course to seven and a half years, including a foundational two-year PAP that begins at the senior secondary school level. The minimum eligibility for the course requires students to have completed Class 10. Through the Gurukulam model of education, NCISM envisions a learning experience that integrates the values and principles of Indian culture with Ayurveda. The curriculum aligns with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP 2020), aiming to produce practitioners deeply rooted in traditional and holistic approaches to healthcare.

NCISM also established the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for the Pre-Ayurveda Programme (NEET-PAP) as the qualifying entrance exam for PAP admissions. Previously, undergraduate AYUSH admissions were conducted via NEET UG, managed by the National Testing Agency. For NEET-PAP, cut-off scores for qualifying vary across categories: 50% for general candidates, and 40% for candidates from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, and Persons with Disabilities. The admissions process will be centralized, and selections will follow an all-India merit list, with candidates considered according to their scores and categories.

Upon qualifying for NEET-PAP, students will begin a comprehensive seven and a half-year program divided into specific phases: two years for PAP, four and a half years for BAMS, and a one-year mandatory internship. The Ayurveda Gurukulam education model emphasizes a blend of traditional studies and modern competencies, aiming to nurture students into well-rounded practitioners. All Gurukulams are affiliated with Central Sanskrit University (CSU), located in Janakpuri, New Delhi, and each has an admission capacity of 50 students per academic year. The PAP includes a robust foundational curriculum covering Sanskrit, Indian philosophy, sciences, and the fundamentals of Ayurveda.

One of NCISM’s main objectives with the PAP is to create an educational environment that embodies the cultural values of the Indian heritage. According to NCISM, the program aims to “emphasize the principles of Bharatiya Shastras and the Sanskrit language” and “guide students to study authentically from classical texts” to foster the development of holistic healthcare practitioners. The curriculum also encourages meaningful interaction between students and their mentors, similar to the guru-shishya tradition of ancient India.

The prerequisites for admission into the Pre-Ayurveda Programme include having passed Class 10 from a recognized board, including the Vedic board, and being at least 15 years old by December 31 of the admission year. Students in the Ayurveda Gurukulam will learn in multiple languages, including Sanskrit, Hindi, English, and regional Indian languages. The curriculum for the first two years of the PAP covers essential subjects such as Sanskrit, English (or another regional language), Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Biology. Additional courses include "Transitional Curriculum" and "Bharatheeya Darsanas and Shastras" (focused on Indian philosophical knowledge systems) in the first year and "Introduction to Ayurveda" in the second year.

In addition to formal education, NCISM also emphasizes informal education through activities like recitation of Sanskrit texts, skill-based training in traditional Indian arts, and sessions on life skills, mathematical thinking, and computer programming. The PAP curriculum follows the competency-based National Curriculum Framework in line with NEP 2020, incorporating both theoretical and practical knowledge, thereby nurturing students in holistic ways of thinking and problem-solving. Students will also complete five elective online courses over the first two years, receiving individual certificates for each upon completion.

NCISM published a draft version of these guidelines on August 4, 2023, and subsequently finalized them in late October 2024. The PAP and BAMS curricula underscore both Ayurvedic tradition and modern educational standards, bridging the gap between ancient knowledge systems and contemporary health sciences. The program’s goal goes beyond training healthcare providers; it seeks to mold students into culturally aware practitioners who carry forward India’s heritage in traditional medicine

(Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Yash Kamble/MSM)